Light Births Darkness SonTails
by Kurayaminokumo
Summary: When Sonic snaps one fateful night events are set in to motion that have been planned before his birth. If his lover can't calm his rage then what follows will undoubtedly change the world.
1. Chapter 1

**Light Births Shadows  
**

Tails sniffled. He lay in his bed, curled into a ball, near suffocating himself with his two fluffy, white-tipped appendages. The room was dark, for he had pulled the curtains shut and closed the door, denying any sunlight and warmth from the glorious day outside. After all, happiness does not get along well with a lamenting fox.

Tails sighed and hugged himself closer to his two weaker limbs. He could feel tears coming once more to dazzling blue eyes but he abstained from the bittersweet rapture, fearing more time than should be would be spent under covers. He had trouble composing himself.

You see, Tails has a problem. Some time ago he had started to feel an attraction, one unwanted. Despite heroic attempts at throwing it aside it had taken root. The roots dug far and it had blossomed from a simple attraction to a full blown adoration. Yes Tails had a problem. He was in love. This in itself is not so bad. Perhaps even something to be grateful for. But you can not choose who you love and Tails had drawn the short straw in that area. He was in love with Sonic.

This was the cause for our sorrowful kitsune spending a fantastic day moping inside. In between two large ears, an incredibly smart brain was warring with itself.  
'This is preposterous!' Shouted a certain part of Tails consciousness. 'We have better things to do than idle away our days dreaming of some ignorant hedgehog.'  
'And besides, what chance would we have? Sonic is too good for us. All that would come from that path is heart ache and pain. Best stick with what we know.' Another put in its two cents.  
'O' the sorrow! Why doth thy gods thrust this curse upon us?' Bellowed a different part.  
'Oh quit your whining. This is ridiculous. Let's just leave.'  
Amidst the uproarious bantering one stumbled forward. It coughed weakly. It squeaked.  
'Tell him…' All went silent. A few coughed. Then, like an explosion, all yelled as one. The unbearable noise crescendoed then mellowed out into a nonsensical buzz.

As if waiting for the camaraderie to end, the doorbell rang. Tails red-rimmed eyes shot open. He suddenly felt that staying in for a little bit longer wasn't such a bad thing.  
'Go away… Can't you tell I want to be alone?' Tails thought. 'Maybe if I wait they'll just leave…' His eyes drooped lazily. _Ding Dong! Ding Dong! _ Tails groaned and slowly rolled over. He sat up, noticing he still had his red shoes on. It only served to further his anger, at himself and the unwelcome guest. _Ding Dong!_  
"Alright I'm coming!" Yelled Tails, rather unkindly, as he pulled on his white gloves. Wobbly legs forced his feet to shuffle along the carpet. He descended the stairs into the front room._ Ding Dong!  
'Argh!' _An infuriated Tails jumped towards the door and threw it open.  
"WHA-…" His voice caught in his throat and his heart stopped.  
'Of all the people…' Standing before him was none other than the azure speed demon himself, least wanted amongst the possible suitors for the position of the one stopping by. Millions of thoughts cascaded around Tails' head, foremost among them being, 'Kill me now! Kill me now!'

Sonic's mouth slowly closed from its previously 'startled' position.

"Are… are you okay buddy?" He asked. Seeing no answer forthcoming in the near future he continued. "Well anyway I was just coming around to see how you were doing and if… umm… you wanted to go somewhere with me? But if this isn't such a great time…"  
"No! I means yes. I mean, sure I'll go with you… Where too?" Tails replied loudly. A smile gradually crept its way back on to Sonic's face.  
"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. Umm… wanna get some ice-creams and go to the park?"  
"Sure! That'd be great. Just let me get my things." Tails answered. Sonic nodded.

Tails skipped merrily up the stairs to his room, leaving Sonic to his own devices. Once again primal forces clashed within his mind.  
'This will be horrible!'  
'Just quickly go down and tell him you can't go.'  
'Why don't we fix the plane instead of this folly?'  
'Go on it'll be fun!'  
'I'm hungry.'

Tails opened a drawer while trying to drown out the insufferable noise that contaminated his mind. He picked out his wallet (storing it wherever it is they store these things) and started playing absently with his bangs. A frustrated sigh escaped his mouth as he let go of his fringe, satisfied that he looked as good as he would ever be with the short amount of time allotted him. (Meaning he hadn't changed one bit.) He left his room and trotted down the stairs. He noticed Sonic peering into an urn that rested on a small table.  
"Alright ready!" Tails said. Sonic looked up and grinned sheepishly.  
"Great!" He grabbed Tails' hand, sending a slight tingle shooting through his arm, then sped out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hmm… I'll just have vanilla thanks." Tails said while pulling out his wallet. He was stopped by Sonic's outstretched arm.  
"Don't worry about it. My treat." He said, grinning. Tails started to blush when Sonic did not remove his arm. Sonic noticed and quickly snatched his hand away. He turned and walked to the small gelato shop resting on a nearby building. Tails could not help but admire the hedgehog's fit form, strong yet graceful. Tails realised he was starting to stare and blinked away, slightly red tinge returning to his muzzle.  
'I can't stare at him! What if he sees? That'd be embarrassing. Besides... Staring is rude…' The rosy hue upon his cheeks deepened. He noticed Sonic returning and quickly raised a gloved hand to his mouth, hoping to hide the ever deepening blush. Sonic offered him one of the ice-creams in his hands. Tails took it, mumbling a "Thanks" behind his hand, before swiftly removing his palm and shoving the ice-cream into his mouth. He smeared it over his furry muzzle as much as possible. Sonic raised an eyebrow but did not question it.  
"Sooo… wanna go to the park now?" Asked Sonic around his ice-cream. Tails nodded.

After an hour or so of walking they spotted the park. It was big, filled to the brim with greenery, and lay right along the edge of the harbour. Tails' ice-cream had all but disappeared, half in to his mouth, half on to the greedy pavement. They stepped into the park, or more appropriately forest. They followed a scant path and crossed the invisible threshold that marked a clearing. With the coming of winter so came the shorter days and as such an awe-inspiring array of hues caressed the horizon. The sun had discarded its extra baggage and so colours from pink to orange spread through the sky. They jousted with one another atop pale-grey horses enveloped in brilliance, competing for dominance of newfound land. The fight had connected them, forming a single entity of more pink than orange that was stained with rose petals and violets.

They strolled over to the centre of the clearing, not far from the waterside. They sat down in a patch of the flowers that spread out and over a nearby bump in the soil. The flowers were light pink in colour, one to match the sky, and they felt almost fluffy accompanied by their sweet pungence. Sonic was sitting a little too close for comfort, or at least in Tails opinion. His mind screamed at him to do so many things at once that he simply remained mute, watching the rolling ocean and the dusk beyond.  
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Said Sonic detachedly, still gazing outwards.  
"Yeah…" Murmured Tails. A sudden gust of wind rushed over the sea, collecting an icy property, then flew over land with a slight 'hush'. Tails shivered and pulled his tails about him, using them as he would a blanket. Sonic sensed the movement and looked at the other. He slid closer to Tails and placed his arm around him. Tails blushed fiercely, trying to ignore the contact but secretly yearning for it. It overwhelmed him and, not knowing want to do, he gave up resisting. He made a pillow out of the tail trapped between him and Sonic and quickly fell asleep, letting sweet nothingness envelop his senses.

Tails awoke with a gasp later that night. He scanned the area, noting that he was in his own bed.  
'How did I get here?' He thought. 'The last thing I remember is falling asleep…,' he blushed 'on Sonic. He must have brought me home and put me to bed.' The thought of Sonic putting him to bed brought disturbing images to mind. He squirmed slightly. His squirming brought on another realisation, he was sticky. Tails blushed profusely, apparently now was not the first time disturbing pictures had come to mind. Shaking his head Tails got up and dragged his sheets off of the bed. He preceded a few steps before stumbling. He looked down and saw his shoes lying upon the floor. He had not realised that he was not wearing them and he silently thanked Sonic for the small act of kindness. When new sheets and blankets had been affixed to the bed Tails crawled back in, feeling rather snug. He made a mental note to take a shower in the morning then shut his eyes. His mind trailed off to other things, nice things, and the kitsune fell asleep with a slight smile sitting on his muzzle.


	3. Chapter 3

A muffled thud pierced the silence; it was followed by a loud groan. Tails nearly cursed at the rude awakening, after all who would not be angry after falling out of their bed, but held himself in check. He sat up, throwing off the blanket that had descended with him, and rubbed his forehead. He immediately retracted his hand when a wetness was felt. His hand was stained with blood. Tails sighed.  
'Just another reason to have a shower.' Putting his hand back to his head, he walked across the hall to his bathroom. Along the way he stopped to admire a painting on the wall. It was a painting that he himself had done just over a week ago. A beautiful azure rose blotted out the left side of the painting. The rose was embellished with streaks of gold that intertwined with the feint veins. The forest-green stem and leaves were similarly decorated. The tip of the rose was drooping downwards, laden with a thick red substance that oozed over the edge of the flower to drip down into an abyss. Tails quiet moment of reminiscing was shattered when a substance, not unlike that in the painting, seeped through the cracks between his fingers. He jolted forwards and arrived at his destination. He stopped in front of the mirror and slowly removed his hand. Tails leant forward and inspected himself in the mirror. A moment passed. Resting back on his heels, Tails smiled.

'I'll be fine. Nothing a quick bandaging won't fix. But first let's get cleaned up.' The fox stepped over towards the large glass shower and turned the knobs. He slipped off his impeccably white socks and threw them in the empty washing basket. He observed his own natural white socks while waiting.

Judging the time waited sufficient he crossed the showers threshold. Stepping into the torrent, he nearly jumped out for the heat but held steady until it became tolerable. He reached for the shampoo and squeezed a portion of into his palm. The mixture was hastily lathered over his torso, another squeeze and his whole body was covered. He spent extra time massaging his stomach and forehead and then proceeded to wash the gunk out. Satisfied that there was no grime left to mar his figure, Tails placed his hand upon the cool, white marble wall. He leant forward slightly, letting the water splash over his head. The clear liquid dribbled around his large ears, muting out all sounds except for a muffled trickling. Tails' mind ticked, free of distractions.

'What am I to do? I should tell Sonic about my… problem. I need help. If he hates me for it then… I'll just move somewhere quiet and forget everything ever happened. Yeah… that's it. I'm going to tell him!' Het stood up, determination etched clearly upon his face. He was ready. But with the sudden motion the peaceful waterfall escaped his mind, leaving with its soothing effects, and doubts immediately came crashing back into his mind. He moved backwards, shaking his head, until his back touched the opposite wall. He slid down slowly, reaching the floor. The kitsune's hands smothered his face and he felt tears making a break from his eyes.  
'What am I thinking? I can't move and I can't tell Sonic either. Of course he would hate me and I… I don't think I could stand that… What am I going to do?' Tails sniffed and removed his hand from his face. He stared at the stream of hot water.  
"What can I do?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Thud thud thud_. Sonic growled.  
'This is stupid! How can I? I mean… so young… I'll just have to forget about it. But… it was so… nice. Ugh.' Blue resumed smashing his skull against the beige wall of his home. You see, Sonic also had a problem. Just like Tails, Sonic found himself increasingly attracted to a certain someone. Just like Tails, that certain someone happened to be his best friend. Yep, you guessed it. Sonic liked Tails. How irritating. It would be so much simpler if a friendship was adequate, but alas, once the forbidden fruit has been tasted the doomed can not stop until naught is left but seeds. The severe head trauma halted for a moment.  
' Maybe I should… talk to him about it. He wouldn't freak out would he? He's my little buddy. I mean… oh of course he would freak out! Probably think I'm a paedophile or something. But… it was too nice. I need to see him. Maybe get a hug? Ugh.'  
_…Thud thud thud._

Tails mind was, surprisingly, blank while he munched upon some toast he had made. A half full (or half empty if you were Tails at the moment… poor Tails. T_T) glass of milk rested near his hand. He took a quick swig.  
'Hmm. What should I do today?' He mused over inconsequential and menial tasks that needed doing. 'Well I do need a trim; these bangs are getting a little long.' Tails unconsciously put a hand to his head, feeling only bandages. 'Oh right. The bandages, well I guess I can scratch that idea. Hmm, maybe…' Tails thoughts were cut off by the loud ringing of his doorbell. Immediately assumptions poured into his head, flittering around like little caged butterflies.  
'Is it Sonic? I hope it's Sonic. It's probably Sonic. I bet it's Sonic.'  
"Shut up." Tails said too himself, slapping the side of his head. He got up and moved gracefully over to the front door, opening it. His own mind laughed at him.  
'Haha told you. You never listen too me anymore…' His mind quieted, leaving Tails' eye twitching in annoyance. As usual his abnormally large brain was correct, it was Sonic.

Hey Tails. I heard voices, is someone over? I can come back if- OH MY GOD TAILS! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HEAD?! ARE YOU OKAY?!" Sonic jumped forward and roughly grabbed Tails' head, forcing it into his chest. (If Sonic were female it would have been death by boobsmoosh. Fatality.)  
"Well… my ears kind of hurt a little now but otherwise I'm fine. I just kinda…," he blushed "fell… out of my bed. I'll be fine." Said Tails into Sonic's neatly muscled chest.  
'…But I wouldn't mind you holding me like this for a little longer.' He added in his mind. As if in utter defiance to this, Sonic pushed him away and held him at arms length, stealing the kitsune away from the gentle lull that was his heartbeat. A faint red tinge stained Sonic's muzzle as emerald windows stared into sky-blue ones.  
"S-Sorry about that then." He mumbled, obviously embarrassed, while he looked downwards. Composing himself slightly he said. "But if someone is here…" Blue was cut off.  
"No no no! No one is here. I'm free for the day. What did you have in mind?" Said Tails a little too fast. "I mean… if you wanted to do something with me that is…" Added the doubly embarrassed fox.  
'Tails there's lots of things I want to do with you I… Ugh. Wrong mindset! Umm… What to do? Gosh I shoulda came more prepared. Umm… Got it!' Sonic congratulated himself on his quick thinking. Sonic beamed at his younger counterpart. "Ice skating! Let's go ice skating! We can invite the whole gang too and…" (Face palm!) Sonic mentally slapped himself. 'What the hell? How can I be alone with Tails with everyone else there? Moron.' "…yeah." Tails was only slightly annoyed at the prospect of inviting the others. After all, time spent with Sonic was time well spent… or wasted… whatever.  
"Sure," Tails replied "but you need to go get some warm clothes on. It'll be chilly.' Sonic nodded and sped off, leaving behind slight traces of blue.


	5. Chapter 5

When Tails thought he would only be slightly annoyed that the others would come he had forgotten the fact that inviting the 'gang' meant Amy would come too. Tails sat on a bench outside the icerink. He fumed in his navy beanie, bright red scarf, gloves and ice skates, watching Amy. The pink hedgehog was all over Sonic, as usual, squeezing his lungs out. Tails felt a raking in his gut. The unenjoyable pain crept upwards as a green monster clawed its way up his vulnerable throat. Tails forced it down, knowing that, if it escaped, things would be said that he would later regret. His resolve was steadfast and he held.

Sonic somehow managed to get a hand in front of Amy's face and push her off. He took a deep breath then said "Alright everyone here?" He swept the room with his eyes. "Where's Shad…" A bright light flared suddenly and diminished as soon as it came. There stood the ebon hedgehog.  
"Here." Said Shadow, crimson highlighted eyes close and voice smooth as ever.  
"Great!" Smiled Sonic.  
"Hurry up hedgehog! We don't have all day." Complained the red echidna.  
"Geez, relax Knux. Me and Tails have already paid but I'll go get you guys some skates." With that said, Sonic turned around and went to a desk with a cheery looking worker behind it. Tails looked over at everyone else, noticing that they were all wearing similar attire. Beanies, scarfs, gloves. Cream walked over to Tails, large ears flopping slightly.  
"Mister Tails, are you alright?" The young rabbit asked, pointing at his bandages, Tails smiled.  
"Yeah I'm ok Cream. Just a little cut." Shadow noticed the exchange and smirked. Tails blushed slightly, feeling that somehow he knew what it was from.

Knuckles started pacing.  
"For such a fast creature he can be so damn slow sometimes." He exclaimed.  
"Shut up Knuckles." Said Rouge. Knuckles spun around, confronting the bat.  
"But it's tru…"  
"Shut up Knuckles!" Repeated Rouge.  
"Listen here bat-girl! I…"  
"SHUT UP KNUCKLES!" Said everyone at once. Knuckles just grumbled but remained silent. Sonic came back, arms bulging with skates, handing them out to everyone. (Amazing how he could hold so many pairs eh?) When everyone was ready Sonic lead the way in to the icerink. Sonic slid gracefully onto the ice, as did Shadow. Amy had a little difficulty following after Sonic but otherwise was happy. Tails was fine doing his own thing, spinning around in circles. Knuckles took one step on the ice and fell, which everyone managed to laugh at. Rouge rolled her eyes heavenward, helping him up. Everyone was fine.

Tails eventually grew adventurous enough to leave the wall and skate in a line when Sonic yelled "Hey Tails look at this!" Tails looked up and the blue hedgehog did a perfect figure-eight. The fox smiled.  
"That's grea…"  
"Hey faker!" Tails sighed as Shadow skidded next to Sonic. Blue looked slightly annoyed at Tails being cut off when Shadow said "What say you to a race faker?" Sonic grinned.  
"You're on! Loser is a rotten egg!" Sonic sped off. Shadow merely harrumphed and gave chase. Tails, feeling a little depressed, whirred his tails and flew over to a small bench on the outskirts of the rink.


	6. Chapter 6

The day rolled by, propelled by the cracking of time's whip. Knuckles was the first to leave, stating that he needed to get back to the Master Emerald but everyone knew he was just sick of falling over. He was followed closely by Rouge. This set off a chain reaction until only Sonic, Shadow and Tails remained in the gloomy dome. Tails returned to his bench, tired from skating when Shadow said "You bore me with you inadequacy." With a burst of light and a "Chaos Control" he left. Sonic spotted the little fox sitting on a bench looking down. Blue slid over to Gold, jumped the small fence, and sat next to him.  
"Hey buddy. What's on your mind? You've been a little quiet today." Said Sonic. Tails looked up for the first time, as if he hadn't noticed his friends arrival.  
"Oh? Sorry. Where's Shadow?"  
"He just left."  
'He seems down. You should hug him.' Sonic's mind said to itself.  
'No.'  
'Come on.'  
'No.'  
'Ugh you're impossible. At least take him somewhere then.'  
"Hey, umm, Tails buddy. You wanna go to the park again?" He asked. The kitsune looked at Sonic and smiled.  
"I'm a little tired but sure why not? It'll be nice."

They rested in the same clearing as the day before. They were surrounded by those beautiful flowers and behind them a thick wall of lush trees, no one would be able too see the couple with them knowing. Fox and Hedgehog sat side-by-side, watching the sun fall off the edge of the world, orchestrating magnificent displays of art in the sky. The two boys sat close. Close enough to sense, close enough to touch, close enough to taste. They lay down simultaneously. A while passed. Blue managed a quick peek at his counterpart. He saw an angel with closed eyes. Sonic cringed, trying to ignore the hefty temptation simply lying next to him. His hand twitched.  
'Ngh. This is too much. He looks so peaceful. He should be deep asleep soon.' Sonic mulled over his thoughts. Unbeknownst to Blue, Tails wasn't tiring one bit. (Shock, Horror!)

In his mind a fierce battle was raging. The fire of his heart clashed with the icy coldness that was his brain. It was intense but he showed no outward signs of it. After what seemed an eternity, but could really be counted in seconds upon one hand, the battle ended. Sonic glanced over at his little angel, seemingly in a deep sleep with lips slightly parted.  
'But…' Tails tongue swiftly licked his lips. That was too much for Sonic. He sat up then flipped over onto his hands and knees. He took a deep breath. 'Really Sonic? Kissing your best friend while he sleeps? You're pathetic.' He crawled over to the prostrate figure. His face hovered over the others. Tails shot upwards, knocking Sonic back. Bright-blue eyes stared straight into emerald ones.  
"T-Tails! This isn't what…" Sonic managed to get out before he was cut off.  
"Sonic…I…I love you!" With that said, Tails grabbed Sonic's face and pressed his own lips against the others. Tears appeared at the edges of his eyes as the kitsune searched the darkening sky, purposefully avoiding the hedgehog's shocked orbs.

'This is it…' He thought. Tears came screeching to a halt when the kiss was returned and deepened. Blue eyes stared down at the set before him, conveying all of his confusion, fear and sudden joy. Emerald windows revelled in the contact. Sonic broke the kiss and smiled.  
"What…?" Sonic made a hushing sound.  
"I don't know if this is the right thing to do but I don't think I can hold back much longer. Let's just take it and see where it goes." Said Sonic, kissing him once more. Tails did not have anything to say, fearing that words would make this paradise disappear, so he just threw his arms around Sonic. They held each other closely, enjoying the intimacy. Tears of joy came unbidden to Tails. He wept into Blue's chest, feeling that, for once, everything was going to be okay. The ice had melted, his heart had won and he was happy.


	7. Chapter 7

Sonic woke later that night. Tails still slept peacefully in his arms, clinging onto his quills. They lay in Tails' bed, where Sonic had taken them. He looked down at the angel he held, his angel, and smiled. He could almost imagine a small halo floating above the others head.  
'This is great! I can't believe it. Is he really mine? I shouldn't get too ahead of myself though; let's take it step by step.' His brow furrowed. 'I should go home. This isn't … appropriate.' He started to slowly slip out of the fox's grip. A pained expression crossed Tails' face and his small hands clamped down with surprising strength. Many futile efforts were made before Sonic sighed, quitting his struggling. Tails' features returned to normal. Sonic would have to stay; besides he did not really want to go anyway. Peach arms returned to their previous positions, cuddling soft fur, and the hedgehog snuggled into the other. Long, lean legs interlocked with shorter ones and emerald eyes fluttered close. Blue was quickly off to sleep, pondering about where his life would be taken next.

"I'll miss you." Whimpered Tails. Sonic kissed his forehead.

"Don't worry; I'll just be gone for the day. I'll be back in the afternoon." He gave a wink before stepping towards the door. He looked over his shoulder, grinning.  
"Love ya." Sonic set off. The kitsune sighed, closing the front door to his house. He moved back into the kitchen, pouring a glass of milk for himself and sitting down at the table. His palm held his head up as his mind flittered back to that magical night just over a week ago. They had kept their relationship a secret for the time being, fearing unnecessary dramas. Sonic had stayed at his house for the week, although sleeping on the couch, unlike their first night. They were not quite up to that stage yet. Tails had blushed when Sonic had told about their first night. Life had been good to Tails this past week, better than any time he could remember and he had not a care in the world. Time seemed to fly by, each day passing as if it were a minute, carried by wings of pure joy. Each touch they shared felt worthy of a celebration.

Tails gulped down his milk and stood up. He could not take his mind off of a certain hedgehog, anticipation of his return causing him to be unsettled. He set off to do some menial tasks, mundane in the extreme, in hopes it would lead his mind elsewhere, he could not stand doing nothing. His thoughts did change but not how he expected. A strange mindset beset Tails, one new and unknown. He was still thinking about Sonic but not in the same light. He dropped his washing basket in the laundry then reached for the pantry containing his sheets and towels. He extracted a towel and left for his bedroom, smiling, the days worries washed from his mind.

"Tails?" Said Sonic, rapping on the front door. The sky was near black and a cool breeze blew through the area, licking amorously at Sonic's skin. Sonic hugged himself with one arm and used the other to knock again. "Tails?" His hand trailed to the doorknob, he turned it, finding it unlocked. He pushed into the house saying "Tails sorry I'm late. There were problems." Hearing no answer he shut the door. He moved towards the stairs. "Tails?" He moved up the stairs and towards Tails' room. The door was slightly ajar and he pushed it open with a creak. Tails lay spread out upon his bed, the covers kicked off. Sonic smiled and moved into the room. He swiftly pulled the sheets over the sleeping fox, being careful not to wake him. When he judged the fox sufficiently covered he turned and yawned.  
"Don't go." Sonic jumped at the sound. He spun around and saw Tails looking at him, one eye half open.  
"Sorry I didn't mean to wake you. I'll just…"  
"Please don't go. You can sleep with me tonight." Sonic frowned slightly.  
"Aww bud you know I can't do that."

"Please." Tails pleaded softly, almost pitifully. Sonic sighed then smiled, as if he could ignore that. He moved over to the side of Tails' bed and slipped off his shoes. Crawling in, he found arms immediately around him. He almost chuckled as he slid further under the sheets, smelling a faint hint of sweat. He faced the fox, noticing that he was already fast asleep. Placing his arms around the other he quickly fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

The young fox was first to rise the next morning. His heart leapt at the sight of the one who had caught him in their web. He gave a slight hug then slowly disengaged himself. Legs were swung over the side of the bed and gloves and shoes were put on. Tails crept out of the room and silently shut the door. The kitsune pranced down the stairway and into the kitchen. He thanked the heavens for his good luck as the fridge was thrown open and food was extracted.

'He'll definitely be hungry so I better make him some breakfast. I hope it makes him happy.' He continued preparing the food.

A wonderful smell had wafted upstairs and a certain blue hedgehog stirred. Triangular ears swivelled in place and a long nose started to sniff. One eye snapped open.  
'Yum! I'm starving. Tails must've made breakfast. Hope he made some for me.' Blue jumped out of the comfy bed and rushed out of the room. Sonic sped down the stairs and stopped at the entrance to the kitchen. Tails noticed him and smiled.  
"Good morning sleepyhead." Greeted Tails. An embarrassed grin crossed Sonic's muzzle as he rubbed the top of his quills.  
"He he. Hey Tails. What're ya makin' there?" Replied Sonic.  
"Oh nothing. Just some breakfast." Said Tails, grinning. Sonic leaned forward when no more was forthcoming, an expectant look on his face.  
"It's ready." Said Tails, still grinning. Sonic shuffled nervously.  
"Can I… err? Can…"  
"Can you what Sonic?" Said Tails, looking directly at Sonic, barely holding back laughter.  
"Well…I just thought…" Tails raised an eyebrow causing Sonic to squirm even more. Tails cracked, finding humour in Sonic's embarrassment.  
"Of course I made you some silly. Sit down." He said after composing himself. Sonic smiled, the tension relieved, and sat down. Tails served up the breakfast and sat opposite Sonic. Blue got stuck in and they ate in silence, well as silent as a hungry hedgehog could be.

When Sonic had cleared his plate he set down his cutlery and looked up at his partner.  
"Hey Tails?" The fox looked up and smiled. (As if he hadn't been watching Sonic that whole time anyway.) "I… I need to go." The smile turned into a frown.  
"Oh…" Replied Tails rather dejectedly, eyes looking down. The idea of another day alone did not put him in an overly happy mood. Sonic noticed the depressed look upon the others face. He leaned over the table and lifted Tails' face in his hands. He gave the fox a quick kiss.  
"Hey. Don't worry. I'll be back. Hmm… You know what?" Tails looked up, slightly curious. Sonic got out of his seat and walked over to the fox. He dropped to one knee.  
"Tails? Will you go out with me? Like… a date?" Tails was stunned.  
"But Sonic… people will see us."  
"Who cares about them? So…?" Tails nodded enthusiastically. A massive grin took over Sonic's features.  
"Great! I'll pick you up at seven." Sonic stood back up. He kissed Tails once more. "Remember, I love you." His grin remained as he exited the building, leaving a shocked fox by himself.  
(And you thought he was proposing. =])


	9. Chapter 9

The fox in the mirror hummed a merry tune as a nimble hand twirled golden bangs around its fingers. He tugged once, twice, and then spun around, still expressing joy through the happy sound escaping his throat. The young kitsune skipped his way to his lounge room and lay on a broad, black couch. He rested his head on the padded armrest and closed his eyes.  
'I still can't believe this is happening! A date… what do I do? I hope I don't embarrass myself… What am I saying? Of course I'll embarrass myself! That's what I'm best at.' Tails bit down on the leather, growling slightly. 'Whatever.' The masochist fox yawned. 'Whatever this is… please live. It's the happiest I've been in god knows how long. Don't die on me… don't die.' Darkness encapsulated his mind.

Tails drummed his fingers furiously on the wooden table top while tapping his foot. A day of idleness, sleep and insignificant tasks had made him rather fidgety. He glanced at the circular clock resting upon his wall opposite him.  
'7:05...' He sighed as his forehead touched the table. 'He probably forgot about me… Or couldn't care enough to remember.' He proceeded to bang his head against the wood, seemingly in time with the ticking of the clock. _Tick-tock. Bang-bang._ Tails growled. That damn clock was going to drive him insane… _Tick-tock. Bang-bang. Tick-tock. Ding-dong! _The doorbell rang just as Tails levelled a plate at the clock. 'Sonic!' He rushed to the front door and threw it open, near breaking the hinges. "Sonic!" Tails repeated verbally. Sonic smiled and waved.  
"Hey buddy. Sorry I'm late I just…umm… Why do you have a plate in your hand?" He questioned. A weak laugh escaped Tails' lips as he threw the object behind him. "You ready?" Asked Sonic as he extended his hand, palm facing upwards. Tails nodded and took the offer, gripping tightly. They set off, hand in hand, off into the darkening night.

They arrived at their destination. Tails gasped. A three story building rose before them, bedecked in expensive apparel. Exquisite decorations lined the wall. A delicately written sign stretched out from the building. It read 'Globulus Gloriosa'. Tails scoped the building, eyes wide in awe. His gaze travelled skywards. A giant globe, resembling earth, sat rotating above the building, spewing forth light where countries would be. This was obviously not going to be cheap. The fox looked shakily at his partner.  
"S-Sonic. I don't think I can afford this…" Sonic glanced at him, eyes warm with affection, and grinned.  
"That's okay. It's on me… but we won't be going up to the globe." He looked away, embarrassed. "That's a little too expensive. I'll take you there later, okay?" Tails smiled and hugged Sonic's arm. The last remark had sent elation coursing through his body. Sonic had said 'later'. That mean there would be a later…right? They walked towards the front door and stepped through a glass revolving door and into a small chamber. Sonic walked up to a man standing behind a podium. "A table for two please." Said Sonic. The man glanced at Tails briefly then simply nodded. He moved and indicated they should follow. He led them out of the tiny room. Tails gasped once more. The inside was more lavishly decorated than anything he had ever seen before. Ornaments of silver hung from the ceiling and the walls hinted at traces of gold.

They were taken to a small table tucked into the corner of the room and handed menus.  
"Sonic. Are you sure you can afford this?" Asked Tails as he sat down. Sonic just smiled.  
"Don't worry about it." A minute was spent glossing over the fancy menus, waiting for service. Tails kept glancing worriedly at Sonic, afraid that for some reason this was all a joke. A female squirrel, bedecked in a high-cut tuxedo, waltzed over to them.  
"Would you like anything to drink?" She asked, overly cheerfully.

"I'll just have a wat…" Tails started before Sonic cut him off.  
"We'll have a bottle of your oldest champagne." The waitress nodded, scribbled something down on a notepad, and left. Tails' eyes bugged.  
"But Sonic…"  
"Don't worry about it!" Sonic chuckled. Tails' mouth closed but his eyes remained on the hedgehog in front of him. A moment of Tails' gawking passed when the waitress returned. She placed down two wine glasses, one on either side of the table, then poured a golden substance from a large green bottle into the glasses. Placing the bottle on the table, she looked at Sonic and held up her notepad.  
"Are you ready to order?" She asked. Sonic glanced over at Tails who shook his head in the negative.  
"Not just yet." Sonic replied, still watching the fox.  
"I'll be back soon then." Said the waitress before leaving.


	10. Chapter 10

Blue picked up his menu once more and skimmed through.  
"What're you getting? The risotto sounds nice. Or maybe the honey-glazed chicken cacciatore?" A weak "Sure" was his only answer. He looked over his menu; eyes alight with a slight pity as he viewed his partner staring at his own feet. He sighed.  
"Hey," Tails looked up "what's wrong?"  
"Nothing." The fox mumbled.  
"Come on. You can tell me anything. You know that right?" A weak smile etched its way onto Tails' face.  
"Yeah Sonic. It's just," the smile died "you're treating me too good. I don't deserve this, any of it." His face drooped and his head lolled downwards on his shoulders.  
"You're giving me more than I should get." His chin touched his chest for a second before it was lifted again and warm lips were pressed against his own. Sonic held for a moment, savouring the softness of the fox, before breaking the kiss and hovering an inch from the others face.  
"Nothing, not one damn thing, is too good for you. I can't give you enough." Sonic sat back down and picked up his menu, pretending nothing had happened at all.

"Now. What do you want to eat?" Tails was still held in thrall by Sonic. He had to scramble for words.  
"Umm… I'll just have the Caesar salad." His eyes remained glued to Sonic, he wondered why the other was smiling.  
"Tell that to her, not me." Tails cocked his head in confusion. Then he noticed the waitress was back. A blush immediately flourished on his muzzle. The squirrel was standing there, giggling, which she had been doing for some time. Tails found words hard to come by.  
"Uh…"  
"It's ok dear. I heard. Now what would your 'friend' be having?" She giggled, turning towards Sonic. Tails cringed at the over emphasising of the word friend. Sonic ordered and the waitress skipped off. He chuckled at the embarrassment of his friend.  
"Sonic… She saw…"  
"That's not important. Try some of your wine. I bought it just for you." Tails shakily picked up his glass and sniffed the contents. He had never tried wine before, or any other alcoholic beverage for that matter. He took a quick sip and found that he liked it, it was smooth as it slid down his throat and it had a faint hint of fruit in it.  
"Cheers!" Said Sonic as he held out his glass. Tails hesitated before saying "Cheers!" He banged their glasses together; creating a slight _chink_, then took another swig.

A while passed, filled with idle chatter and hesitant laughter. The drinking continued as they waited for their dinner. Tails felt a slight twinge in his brain but he ignored it, he was having such a nice time. Their meals came and they both got stuck in without comment. Tails picked at his food nonchalantly while Sonic slurped his up, making a multitude of, not exactly nice, sounds. Tails observed this with mild amusement. As if he new eyes were upon him, Sonic glanced upwards. He blushed slightly, muttering an apology, before returning to his meal with a touch of uncharacteristic etiquette.  
"Nice?" Questioned Sonic. Tails nodded and replied.  
"Yours?"

"Best damn meal I've ever had! Nearly as good as a chilli dog." Said Sonic with a wink. Tails laughed to himself. He took a sip of wine, enjoyed it and took another, and another, and another…

Time passed and they both finished their meals. Tails had more wine, a little too much more wine. The twinge returned to his head, attacking it relentlessly until he gave up and let encase his senses. His thoughts were being corrupted and a small hiccup made itself known in Tails' throat.  
"Ready to leave?" Asked Sonic. Tails nodded happily and stood up, stumbling a little bit. Sonic left money on the table and stepped away, waiting on Tails. The fox swayed slightly as he walked over to Sonic. Sonic raised an eyebrow.  
"Um… Are you… Okay, buddy?" Tails laughed suddenly for no apparent reason then quieted down.  
"Sure…hic…sure. Letsh go." Sonic shook his head and smiled.  
'What have I done? I've gotten Tails tipsy. Hmm… Now that he's drunk…' He hooked his arm with Tails', grinning deviously, then set off.


	11. Chapter 11

They left the building. It was light outside, the darkness paling in comparison to the city life. The moon was shrouded by clouds, casting an eerie spell upon the land dwellers, and the stars were hidden. The air was chilly and cold gusts of wind broke over the two friends bodies. Tails shivered, teeth slightly chattering, so Sonic threw his arm around his shoulder. They walked through the city at a crawling pace, for Tails had difficulty walking. Silence accompanied their steps, broken at random intervals by hiccups. Sonic stared at his feet as they walked, a little bored, time seemed to warp and sway, not a constant. He didn't realise that they had taken a wrong turn. He looked up when his normally bright red shoes turned crimson. A dark street loomed before them, it was as if light was rejected, it seemed to swirl around an invisible barrier. The graffiti entrenched brick walls held a foul stench that permeated the air, a mixture of urine and rotting meat. Sonic nearly gagged. They took a single step and Sonic's neck hairs immediately stood on end. An ominous feeling hung in the atmosphere, tickling at his senses. Shadows seemed to flicker, hinting at things darker than black.

"Tails I think we should…" Sonic turned, realizing Tails was not next to him. He looked up and saw Tails, arms outspread and making zooming noises, skipping along the street ahead of him.  
"Tails!" He moved after Tails, jogging slightly. He stepped into the entrance to an even darker alleyway. Bells rang in his head, screaming at him to move, to yell, to do something. Something was not right. He moved to roll forwards but it was too late. Firm hands gripped Blue's shoulders and hoisted him into the air.  
"Hey boss. Look what I found." A loud, slightly slow and almost brainless voice cut through the night.  
"Hey! Let me go!" Sonic struggled but to no avail, the hands were steadfast. Sonic managed to wriggle around enough so that he could see his captor out of the corner of his eyes. A large bear with grey-brown fur, sporting only a little-too-small leather jacket, grinned at him. He was stout but the fat hid a layer of neat muscles.  
"What is it Gaz? Ah look what we 'ave 'ere." A corpulent male pig emerged from the shadows. He was bedecked in a dark leather jacket and pants and scars riddled his body. His belt held a considerably large knife. Another male, a rat, followed him. This one was much scrawnier than the other two and wore only a pair of ripped denim shorts. His belt was littered with a multitude of different sized knives.

The pig came before Sonic, he held up the trapped hedgehog's chin and stared into his eyes, bequeathing nose with constant blasts of disgusting breath. The pig's crooked smile boasted an only half full mouth.  
"Name's Butch." He dropped Sonic's face and turned his head towards Tails, who was standing dazedly, eyes were half closed. "That's a pretty friend you got there." He said, indicating the clueless fox, utterly oblivious to the confrontation behind him. The fidgety rat came and stood next to Butch, mumbling the whole way.  
"Y-Yeah, r-real pretty." He laughed.  
"Don't go near him." Growled Sonic, all the while staring daggers at Butch, obvious leader of the gang. The pig went on, ignoring him.  
"A pretty boy like 'im mayhap need some company, no?" An evil grin spread across his jowls.  
"Don't you touch…" Sonic tried again. He stopped when a ball of spit flew into his face. The pig snarled.  
"Shut up! There's still the matter of you comin' into my territory. What're you doin' 'ere?" Sonic sputtered, the saliva slid down his face. Butch grinned when no answer was forthright. "Didn't think so." Butch turned towards the fox.  
"Don't you dare touch him!" Yelled Sonic, pure hatred manifesting itself in his words. A hard slap in the face was his only reply.


	12. Chapter 12

Butch returned to Tails. He turned the fox around to face him, much to Sonic's fury.  
"Hey there boy. Whatcha doin' out 'ere all alone?" Tails blinked a few times then laughed.  
"Oh h-hello. I…hic… seem to have lost my friend. Could y-you…hic… help me find him? He has funny blue fur and biiig," he emphasised this by stretching out his arms "floppy quills." He giggled. Butch smiled.  
"I think I could help you. Would this," he motioned towards Sonic, who was desperately trying to kick at his gaoler "be him?" The intoxicated kit looked at his friend, not realising the compromising situation he was in, and smiled.  
"You found him! Thanks so…hic… much! How could I…hic… repay you?" He sniffed, scrunching up his nose. "Maybe I could…hic… get you a bath." He giggled again. The pig's eyes widened in outrage and he lifted Tails by the fur on his chest.

"NO!" Screamed Sonic and Tails was dropped. Butch grinned.  
"Of course, where are my manners?" He said to Sonic. He addressed Tails. "Hmm… I know a few ways you could repay me."  
"Run Tails! For the love of god run." Cried Sonic, but to no effect. The fox remained where he was, blissfully ignorant of the situation. Butch seemed unperturbed by the interruption.  
"For now you could just…" He stopped speaking as his tongue rolled lazily out of his mouth. He placed his head next to Tails face. The slimy digit made contact with the foxes cheek. Tails did not flinch in the slightest, while Sonic screamed his lungs out. Sonic watched in horror as his little angel was being defiled by some slob. Each circling motion of the pink appendage sent shivers of disgust and hate rolling down his spine, he felt like vomiting. The tipsy fox could not tell what was happening, clear eyesight had fled him. He shut his eyes, snorting.  
"S-Stop it Sonic. It t-tickles!" Cried Tails, fighting with laughter.  
"Hehe. So might this." The older male spun Tails around violently and pushed him to the ground. He grabbed a handful of tails and yanked upwards, Tails' posterior followed. The poor fox grunted as he hit the floor.

"Alex, you can take the front." Snorted Butch as the rat moved to stand before Tails. He leaned in close over Tails and whispered into his ear but loud enough for everyone present to hear.  
"Don't worry 'bout your friend," he glanced at Sonic "he'll be dandy. Well… until we're finished with you." He pulled out his large knife, admiring it. "Then we'll just gut 'im. Then, if you're lucky, we might just come back to you. I like ya that much. But yeas, he has to watch us play first, it makes it just that much more fun." He grinned and stood up again, returning his knife to its holster, then proceeding to unbuckle his belt.

Meanwhile Sonic was trying to control the torrent of madness that was his emotions. His eyes were screwed shut in concentration. He was stunned when a strange presence entered his thoughts and even stranger voice spoke to him.  
'Let me in, Sonic.' It spoke seductively.  
'Who are you?' Replied Sonic.  
'I am you.'  
'What?'  
'I am what you were. I am what you will become. I am you.'  
'What are you talking about?'  
'Let me in Sonic.' Sonic hesitated, the voice was applying pressure to his brain, somehow soothing him but at the same time feeding his rage.  
'No. Go away.'  
'…Look.'

Sonic opened his eyes. He wished he hadn't. The now nude pig's finger left his mouth, drowning in saliva. He grinned, a sparkle in his eye, then shoved the sopping digit into the entrance of the fox in front of him. Tails yelped in pain.


	13. Chapter 13

Sonic opened his eyes. He wished he hadn't. The now nude pig's finger left his mouth, drowning in saliva. He grinned, a sparkle in his eye, then shoved the sopping digit into the entrance of the fox in front of him. Tails yelped in pain.

Sonic felt tears come to his eyes as he shut them once more.  
'Let me in…' The strange voice took on a demonic note. Sonic did not reply. Rational thoughts had left him. He opened the gate into his mind and the author of the voice flooded in. Sonic gasped as he was filled with power, and something else. Something sinister. Something Evil. The voice cackled maniacally in his head. Every fibre of Sonic's being changed; his rage was magnified tenfold, his senses were obscured by a veil of red. Hate and bloodlust became his whole reason for existing. His eyes snapped open.

His eyes were pure white and exceedingly emotionless. His mouth frothed as he convulsed violently, snarling all the while. Butch smirked, thinking he had struck a nerve, turning to face Sonic, he was shocked.  
"What're you playin' at with that eye trick o' yours?" He questioned. No answer was forthcoming. "I said…" He halted when Sonic snarled again. The hedgehog continued convulsing. His teeth grew larger and sharper, filling his mouth. Fingers turned into claws, ripping his gloves. The air around him seemed to swirl becoming gradually darker. An aura, as black as night, spread around the hedgehog's body. His blue fur shimmered, then flickered to black and back again. His fur became nearly as dark as the aura around him. A massive whooshing was heard as the aura expanded.  
"Ah boss…" The bear said, noticing cracks starting to appear in the cement below Sonic. A giant thunderclap boomed out from the hedgehog then it was silent. Deathly silent. Sonic stopped convulsing, instead he laughed, softly at first then louder. He threw his head back, eyes wide, and howled. The bear shook him slightly.  
"Hey. Stop it." The hedgehog did stop. His head lolled forward and his eyes closed. The aura that surrounded him wobbled slightly, then once more but more violently. It grew darker still until it blotted out the hedgehog it enveloped. It wobbled again then suddenly dropped, once more revealing the monster. The black flopped on the floor, spreading across the ground until it covered an area past the bear and hedgehog.  
"What is this?!" Cried the grey-brown male. Sonic's head snapped up and his eyes opened. His lips moved but nothing could be heard. Suddenly words came out, but in a strange language, one that none present had ever heard but could all, somehow, understand.  
"This is you demise…"


	14. Chapter 14

As soon as he uttered those sounds a dozen tendrils shout out from the darkness. They were pure black chains, each sporting a large blood-tipped hook on the end. They all pierced the bear's flesh, holding him in place. He moaned as he felt an overwhelming pain and he dropped Sonic. The demon remained suspended above the ground, floating motionlessly. He screamed and doubled over. Magnificent wings of the deepest ebony burst out of his back. They spread outwards, spanning eleven foot each. All, except Tails who still lay upon the floor, watched in horror, rooted to the spot. The hedgehog, or more appropriately monster, cackled once more and spoke again in that strange language as it rose higher into the sky.  
"I am the eater of hearts. I am the reaper of souls. I am the bringer of the end. All who are dead are in my domain, awaiting judgement. Tremble! Tremble insignificant mortals for you face your culling. You face hate. You face pain. You face fear. You face… the God of Death!" He stopped directly in the path of the, now uncovered, full moon, fully blotting it out with angelic wings. He inspired awe and fear all at once. He pointed at the blood-soaked and trapped bear.  
"You… are the first to taste pain." The object of his attention screamed as the chains that shackled him started sinking back into the murky darkness from whence they came. They tugged on flesh and fur, causing burning pain. Bits and pieces started tearing off the hysterical prisoner as he himself started sinking too. He amazingly struggled through the pain, but vainly. One arm stretched outwards in search of something to grasp. His cries for help were drowned out as his head sunk slowly below the surface. The paw stopped its frantic searching, going limp and following the head.

All was silent once more as the inky blackness became insubstantial and receded into the concrete. The two older men remained where they had been, wondering what nightmare were they experiencing. The black angel descended from the sky, wings flapping gracefully. He touched the ground and the two wings folded into his back. Alex finally screamed, he pulled one of the many knives out of his belt and threw it at Sonic. His aim was perfect but the knife did not hit. It halted and inch from Sonic's eye, suspended in the air as if by magic. The knife suddenly dropped to the floor. The rat screamed once more, turned tail, and ran. White eyes fixed on the receding figure.  
"You are next." The magnificent angel extended his hand and closed his eyes. Immediately Alex went flying into the wall near him with enough force to break bones. He was then repulsed back the way he came. He jolted to a stop in the air, as if held by some unseen hand. He let out strangled gasps as cracking could be heard. His arm suddenly bent at an awkward angle, causing him to cry out, as did his leg. Somehow still conscious, the tortured creature whimpered in pain. Nothing happened for a moment. Sonic laughed as he opened his eyes once more. The knives in the rat's belt wobbled. They flew out of their holsters and came to rest in the air at random intervals surrounding the rat. They held for a moment, Sonic cackled. The knives flew towards their owner, impaling him over and over. Blood spurted from wounds that riddled his body; his eyes were still open, staring at the knife implanted in his forehead. He let out a faint cry, blood dribbling out of his throat. The knives wobbled once more. They swiftly flew forward again piercing through the body and coming out the other side, simply eviscerating him. A fountain of blood gushed from the area where the rat's body had been.


	15. Chapter 15

Sonic danced in the blood, spreading his wings to catch the red rain.  
"Beautiful, is it not?" He asked to no one in particular. He stopped his spinning when all the blood had touched the ground and looked over at the soiled pig. "I have saved you for last; after all, it makes it just that much more fun." He teased with delicious irony. Butch took a single step back, then found a hand around his throat. He had not even blinked yet now he was being held in the air by an iron grip. The demon grinned showcasing his extremely large, extremely sharp, blood-stained teeth. He walked forwards, holding his burden as if it were a feather. Butch tried desperately to remove the constricting hold on his neck but it only got tighter, then his back hit a wall. He stared at the horrific sight before him, begging, pleading. The hand left his throat. Immediately chains spread out from the wall, wrapped around him, then disappeared back into the wall, effectively trapping him. He struggled, but like the others, to no avail. Looking back at his subjugator, his eyes widened, he struggled more vigorously.

_Tap tap tap._ Sonic slapped the cruel weapon in his right hand into the palm of his left. A long metal pole with a sharpened end extended from Sonic's hand. It was riddled with lines of awful spikes. He started tickling the pig's stomach, tracing lines of blood. He yawned, seemingly bored, then swiftly stuck it in. Butch howled as the pole slowly slid into him, the out the other side. When he thought it should have hit the wall behind him it just kept going. He had never felt pain this intense ever before in his life. Then the first set of spikes came. He screamed for the pain, hoping for the sweet embrace of unconsciousness, but it never came. The the second set of spikes slipped in. He struggled with all his failing might, but it only caused more pain. The last set of spikes ripped at his flesh, causing spots to appear in his vision. He whimpered, hoping it was over.  
"Haha. No it isn't over. Not at all. This is just the beginning." Butch blanched. Suddenly the torturer's clawed hand shot out. It pierced his chest, grabbed onto something, then pulled out. Butch looked down at his hollow chest, then up at his subjugator and wondered why he was not dead. The hedgehog played with the heart, throwing it up and catching it on its descent. He looked at his prey, as if he just noticed he was watching, and put on a confused expression.  
"Oh you didn't need this did you?" He said, almost apologetically, as he pointed at the heart. "No?" He leaned in as if listening closely. He straightened and grinned devilishly. "That's great! I'm starving." He threw the heart into the air and let his head fall back. The bloody organ simply dropped into his open mouth. His jaws closed and he chewed, a disgusting sound emanated from his mouth. Butch wished to faint, or just die, but he could not. Sonic finished his meal with an exaggerated gulp. He yawned again.

"We can have more fun later, okay" I've business that needs attending." He clicked. Deformed heads and arms morphed out of the wall near Butch. He looked around frantically, tears in his eyes. The eyeless heads moaned, a moan filled with dread. The looked around, as if searching for something. They locked onto the pig. He squirmed as mouldy arms grabbed at his body. He screamed to be free. The lifeless arms started pulling at him. He yelled once more as the chains shackling him started to shrink and the arms pulled on him with increasing force. He was being squished into the wall. He screamed and screamed as his bindings tightened and the pain increased. The screaming came to an abrupt halt. The wall was completely blank, the only evidence of activity being a patch of blood.

The hedgehog turned around, proud of his work. He noticed a form lying on the ground, on the path opposite him. He grinned, showing sharp teeth, and moved forwards, believing he had found more prey. The black angel stopped in his tracks. There lay Tails, asleep and beautiful, not marked by a single drop of the blood that surrounded him. The demon twitched, an axe formed in his hands, he took a single step.  
'NO!' Sonic, the real Sonic, had returned. He would not let harm come to Tails.  
'Stay out of this, hedgehog.' The unknown voice replied. He pushed out at Sonic mentally.  
'Get out of my head.' Said Sonic with cold determinacy, pushing back with his own will.  
'You are mine now.' The evil presence returned the attack twofold. Sonic's body took another step forward.  
'Get out! Get out!' Sonic remained adamant.  
'You are of no use to me now! Leave!' The evilness sent a devastating assault Sonic's way. Still he remained.  
'Get out of my head! Get out! GET OUT!' He screamed, sending all his strength out. The demon felt his essences being drained away  
'No!' He cried. The last remaining tack of life clung on to Sonic's mind desperately. 'I'll be back.' It left. Then there was just Sonic.


	16. Chapter 16

Sonic was back in control of his body. The wings on his back burst into a harmless purple flame and disappeared. His fur reverted to its original blue and emerald eyes returned. Teeth became normal and claws became fingers. The bloodlust fled him. He was himself once more. The weight of what he had just done came crashing down on him, forcing him to his knees. Tears burst from his eyes as he contemplated what he had just done. Him, Sonic, the blue speedster that everyone looked up to. Him, Sonic, the hero who always saved the day. Him, Sonic, who wouldn't hurt a fly. Him, Sonic, the murderer. He wept openly in the dark street, cradling his knees and rocking. He wondered how close he had came to hurting his friend, his lover, his whole world. It was horrible, he was horrible. What had he done? He suddenly remembered the contents of his stomach and immediately wretched it back up. He vomited repeated for a few minutes before finally standing up, wiping his mouth. Tears still streamed down his face, but he could not be weak. He walked over to the sleeping Tails and delicately picked him up. He cradled the package in his arm, humming a sad lullaby. Without looking down he ran off towards Tails' home.

He stepped through the threshold and closed the door with his foot. Tails still slept in his arms. Climbing the stairway, he walked into Tails' room. The digital clock on the bedside counter marked the time as 12:45 a.m. He put the younger male down softly into his bed, disturbing him as little as possible, and pulled the blankets over Tails. Sonic sat on the side of the bed. He sighed as he cupped his hands. He had been in control of himself for a while now.  
'What happened? Who was that? Ugh.' He looked over at Tails, hoping for guidance. Oh how sweet he looked. How calm. How peaceful. How angelic. How… vulnerable.

'Kill him.' Sonic jumped at the voice. It came again. 'Kill him.' Blue clutched at his head and but back a scream.  
'No! Never!' Sonic yelled mentally. He gasped when a black dagger appeared in his right hand.  
'Just do it.' He looked over at Tails, then at the dagger. He passed between the two several times before he growled, deciding.  
'No!' He threw the dagger sidelong; it flew into the wall and stuck, quivering. He was on his knees once more, crying. He sobbed loudly. He had nearly killed Tails. Twice. He whispered.  
"I…I'm sorry Tails. I'm a monster. You're too important to me… I must leave." He barely composed himself as he stood. He moved to the bed, bent over and placed a small kiss on the kit's head. Tears fell onto the fox as Sonic stood. He shuffled towards the exit and stopped in the doorway, one arm holding the frame. He turned slightly, a single tear rolled down his cheek. "I love you…"


	17. Chapter 17

Tails groaned. He sat up slowly in his bed, clutching at his head. Bleary eyes glared at roof cornices.  
"Wha…" He started but the effort was too much, he slumped back into the bed, moaning. He waited until the incessant pounding in his forehead subsided slightly, and then sat up. His thoughts were a disturbed bee's nest, he worked to order them.  
'Ok… I was with Sonic last night. We… went out?' He smiled as warm images flooded his mind. 'The was nice. I should call him and say thanks. After dinner we…' He frowned at the gaping black hole in his memory. 'We… Some guy? Ugh. Stupid headache.' Tails shook his head, in hopes of clearing the fuzziness. Bad idea. Nausea welled up from his stomach and encapsulated his mind causing spots to cloud his vision. He squeezed at his temples with open palms, trying to stem the rising need to throw up. He instantly felt a minor heat emanate from his hands. The heat intensified into a near burning temperature. He tried to move his hand but it was as if they were glued to his head. A faint white light encased his palms, glowing, pulsating almost physically hurting him. Abruptly the light shot back into his hands and the heat disappeared. It was as if nothing had happened. His hands left his head with ease and he stared at them in wonder. His exceptionally large brain tried comprehending the recent event and why his nausea and headache had suddenly disappeared, leaving him feeling a whole lot better. After a long time of open-mouthed staring and deem contemplation Tails shook his head, nowhere close to a good answer, he had given up. Deciding to ponder it later, he hopped out of bed. The kit's stomach rumbled.

He slurped down some milk then stood up. Gloved hands grabbed at the crust littered plate, along with the empty glass, and placed them in the sink.  
'Hmm. I should call Sonic and thank him for last night…' He sighed. 'And apologise for falling asleep.' He moved over to the wall and grabbed at the phone. Punching in a number, he held the cordless up to his ear.  
"Hey!"  
"Hey Sonic! I…"  
"You've reached the fastest guy in the universe. Sorry I wasn't here to catch you. Just leave a message after the beep and I'll try and get back to you, Ciao!" A high-pitched beep sounded. Tails hung up. He tried the number again but to the same result. The beep rung out.  
"Hey Sonic, it's me. I just, umm, wanted too… Just ring me 'k? Thanks." Tails sighed as he returned the phone to its holder.

'What now?' He had hoped to talk with Sonic. Any plans for the day had flown from his mind like a flight of birds, all at once. Standing there looking rather lost, he tapped his lip while staring at the ceiling. He could not think of anything that needed or was worth doing. He was stumped. Short legs shuffled the bored fox over to the living room. He dived for the couch and grabbed at the remote lying on the small table next to him. He switched on the television and started scrolling through the channels, blurring the screen with fuzz. The channel changed many times before halting. A news report had sought and claimed his attention.

"There has been at least one grisly and mysterious murder, assumed to be related with one of, if not all, three recently missing persons. Alex Proud, Garry Riley and Butch Crawley have been missing since last night." Said a middle-aged badger. Pictures of a male rat, bear and pig showed on the screen respectively. The screen flashed black and a message appeared.  
"Viewers be warned, images may be graphic in nature. We advise children be removed from the room." A moment passed. Gruesome pictures showed on the screen while the reporter talked.  
"The missing males are believed to have been murdered last night on Haferly Street. It is a scene of carnage there." Tails cringed at the grotesque pictures of gore but shot straight up.  
'That man…'  
"No bodies could be located on the scene, only pieces of skin scattered around the area. As you can see there are three areas with large amounts of blood. The blood belongs to each of the missing males. It is believed that the three were murdered and their bodies, except for Alex's, disposed of. What confuses forensics is that neither fingerprints, nor footprints could be found. Yet there was one discovery, a small sample of yellow hairs was located on site that belong to some kind of vulpes, believed to be the murderer. Forensics are DNA testing the hairs and will soon have a suspect ready. We have just received some footage from a nearby security camera on the night of the murders. Viewers be warned, the contents of this video may be disturbing."


	18. Chapter 18

The reporter faded to black along with any other sounds. At first nothing happened. Then the screen sprang to life, but only as an ominous crackling. Tails watched fervently, his attention drawn to the screen, seduced by an unknown force that tickled at his sense amorously. Shadows elongated as the outside world seemed to darken, become dull, disappear. The screen was his world. It cast an eerie, sinister light. The image flickered quickly. Then again. Then a third time. This time the picture stayed, the sound was still left wanting. With random parts fading out and back in again with a slight crackle, an echo overlayed the whole video.

Half a bear could be seen, Garry in fact, standing, legs spread, in a pool of blackness. Chains were wrapped around, no, hooked into the bear, seemingly stealing away out of the murky ink. The bears face and whole right side were hidden by a wall. Wailing could be heard from him as he struggled against the chains. The screen started crackling again. A loud piercing sound screeched from the television as it came back into focus. The painful sound dropped in pitch until a strange voice could be heard. It was almost a growl, somehow…alien. The speech was accompanied by the sound of flapping wings.

"Lo mi che bocha ro mielearnon. Lo mi che chiono ro hieryoa. Lo mi che halo roc he syruk." The image flickered continuously. "Xanto lik crey bello crey bit highto larence jekil hur." The voice grew louder, it blotted out the sound of screaming, it seemed as if it was right next to Tails. "Hell dinae freya! Kor I et ir whaela. I et rateryu! I et milzoa! I et eknon! I et che septu… ro… belloanu!" The same loud piercing cry erupted from the television. Tails clutched his ears for the pain but still could not look away. The screen was spattered with blood then suddenly black. All was silent as the atmosphere grew lighter once more, shadows creeping back to where they belong and the alluring effect dissipating. A few moments passed and the reporter, now slightly pale, returned. He seemed at a loss for words. The male badger suddenly composed himself.  
"Police are working feverishly to decode that…rather disturbing video clip. Th…" A rather large looking dog quickly skimmed across the screen and handed a small piece of paper to the anchorman before skipping off screen. "This just in. The results of the DNA testing have come back. The hairs belong too…" He gasped. "None other than the famous Miles Prower, better known as Tails. Hero and friend of Sonic the Hedgehog. Police urge that caution be used when dealing with the suspect…This is Patrick Barter, channel twelve news." The television cut to commercials. Tails sat back, eyes wide. He hugged his knees and rocked back and forth. He was terrified. Part because of the images. Part because of the unnatural video. Part because of the shocking discovery, he himself had not known where he had been that night. But in most part because of that alien language, the one not known too many, if any, on the planet, the one he had not heard ever before this day. The one he had understood every single word of.


	19. Chapter 19

The fox sat at his wooden table, drumming his fingers with angst. A bead of sweat slipped lazily down his cheek, dampening fur. He continued the furious pounding for a moment before suddenly banging his fist on the table top and picking up his phone for what seemed to be the umpteenth time. Dialling the number that had been burned into his brain through repeated use; he placed the object next to his ear.  
"Hey!"

Tails screamed, throwing the phone at the nearest wall, recognising the message for what it was. He fell forwards onto hands and knees, tears streaming from his eyes. He was confused and lost. He had cured a headache with only his hands. He had understood a strange language that he should not have. Sonic was missing, the only one, he thought, that could help him through this ordeal. And to top it all off he was being hunted by the police for a crime he had not committed. He knew there was not much longer before his house was raided.  
'What do I do? Was I framed? I want Sonic. I don't want to go to gaol. Someone help me…please.' He switched positions, instead cuddling his knees. His self deprecation continued for a few minutes. 'I don't know what to do. Why am I so weak? Why are there always problems? I…I…no.' He stopped crying. 'No more… I have to escape. I'm not going to gaol for something I didn't do and I will find Sonic, wherever he is. I...I can do this.' Drying his tears and patting himself down, he stood up, growling slightly, determination stamped upon his face. He nodded once, as if in affirmation to his own thoughts.  
"I can do this."

The fox raced down his stairs and into his laboratory.  
"I'm going to need a disguise since everyone will be looking for me now. Maybe a change of fur colour and new clothes and…" He looked over his shoulder and noticed a stray tail, swishing gently. "Damn. The tails are a dead give away." He tapped his lip, pondering. "Maybe…" Moving over to one of his many thousands of contraptions, Tails pressed a few buttons. When nothing happened he growled and kicked it. His eyes widened as he clutched at his, now throbbing, foot.  
"!#$ing machine. #$% you. I'm gonna #$%^ing chop you up and $%^&ing sell you for spare parts you %^&*ing ^&*(..."

"… And that, is the meaning of life." Concluded Tails, finishing his ten minute rant. The machines glass door opened with a sigh, spewing out warm steam. The kit smiled as his stepped towards the large metal contraption. Reaching inside, he grabbed on to something and pulled it out.  
Link's treasure music plays as Tails lifts up the…tail. (=D) Clipping on the extra tail, the kit smirked.  
"Alright, now just too…"

The garage door opened, deathly slow and rather loudly. Tails stepped out. Arms crossed over his chest, a laser gun in each hand, Tails posed in the late dusk. Except this was not Tails. This was Tank. Tank the three-tailed fox. He was dressed in all black, from tracksuit to jumper to beanie. Where he was not covered by clothes, brown fur peeked out. Tucking his (fake) weapons in to his belt, he touched upon his rose-tinted shades.  
"Let's do this bitch."


	20. Chapter 20

"I want this house surrounded an hour ago. Place men every five feet around the perimeter of this killer's home. He is not to escape; we are to capture him at all costs. Do you understand?" The officer nodded quickly and ran off to relay the orders.  
"You think he did it X?" Said a female fox in uniform as she walked up to where the officer had just left.  
"I use you proper name, Sarah, I'd appreciate it if you showed me the same courtesy." He took a puff on his smoke and continued. "Of course he did, that bastard. His fur was found on the scene, who else could it be? He was the only other person there! Are you saying one of those innocent victims killed his two friends, let this cretin run, and then find the energy to kill himself? And is such a fashion. No, he did it, I'm sure of it." Said the raccoon roughly while fingering something in his black jacket pocket. He took a draught of his cigarette. Sarah looked downwards.  
"But chief, the murders, they're just… unnatural. Some say it was done by a demon! And, seeing the scene with my own two eyes, I'd nearly damn well believe them! How could a little kid do something so horrible?"

He took one last puff then threw the butt on the ground and crushed it under heel.  
"Don't let appearances fool you Sarah, take nothing for granted." He walked past her. "It'll get you killed." Then, as if from thin air, she found a knife at her throat. She gasped. One second there had been nothing but the gentle caressing of the night air on her neck, the next, cold metal held her still. She blinked and it was gone. Feeling her neck, she turned. Xander walked off into the darkness.

Tails cursed at his rotten luck when he scaled his staircase and was near blinded by the flashing of blue and red lights through his front window.  
'Looks like the front door isn't an option…' He doubted the back door was one either. He racked his brain for an answer to his dilemma. He knew he was most likely getting more surrounded by the second. Then the sound of a megaphone interrupted his thoughts.

"Miles Prower, this is chief negotiator Sarah from the police department. We just want to have a chat with you hun. Come on out with your hands up and we'll sort it all out." Tails paced, clutching his head. A minute passed and again she spoke. "Come on darl. We know you must be confused right now but we just need your help in explaining a few things. Come on out, your not in trouble just yet." Tails kicked a chair in frustration, a tear coming to eye.  
'This is silly. I can't run from the police! I'll get caught and thrown in gaol! Maybe I should give myself in… I'm sorry Sonic…' He inched himself towards the front door, hesitating near the handle. He heard a disturbance over the megaphone, like it was being taken by someone else, and halted his quivering arm.

"Come out you little murderer. Yeah, I said murderer. How did it feel killing those poor innocents? I bet it felt good to you with your sick mind, didn't it? You wanna have some more fun? Oh, yes it'll be in prison, but that's okay. It's the perfect place for you, you little sicko. So come on out and we'll have lots of fun! No? Well how about this? If you don't come out in the next twenty seconds I'm coming in there myself… One…" Tails was stunned by the change in negotiator, this one scared him thoroughly. He took a step back.

"Two…" Tails panicked. He didn't want to go outside anymore but he didn't know what to do. He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. "Three… Four…" Something clicked and his eyes burst open. He shot forwards and scrambled sown the stairs. "Five…" Once in his lab it took him a moment of frantic scanning to spot what he was after. "Eight…" A large crate, filled to the brim with a multitude of machinery, stacked in a dark corner. He ran over to it and pushed it aside with a grunt, revealing a grate, about a metre wide, that guarded a dark hole. He flinched from the smell. "Twelve…" With a heave he lifted the grate and let it crash to the side. He took a torch from a nearby stack of junk and stepped to the rim of the reeking rectangular entrance. "Fifteen." He took a deep breath. "Twenty!" In he jumped.


	21. Chapter 21

"S-Sir…"  
"What is it? Where is my fox?!" Snapped Xander.  
"W-Well we couldn't locate him on the premises, sir. He seems to have escaped through a passageway into the sewers…sir." Mumbled the officer.  
"Well…? What are you waiting for? Go after him!" Cried the elder male. The officer gave a quick nod and hurried off.

Xander mumbled to himself, alone.  
"Can't get good help these days… I'm going to catch this heathen bastard, I swear it." Vowed Xander, still playing with something in his pocket. "No Ark'then are going to roam my streets and get away with it." He stopped his incessant fiddling and brought the object out of his pocket. He looked down at it.

It was a simple silver ring, just smaller than ones palm. Inside the circle was a silver hourglass, engraved with falling sand so that it looked the same from either side. Words were etched on the outside of the ring. _  
Synthec. Belloanu. Florei. Tor._  
He brought it to his lips and closed his eyes.  
"Svorec ah tey… Rapture in servitude." He moved after the other officer.

Tails landed with a splash. He slipped the second his foot touched the ground and fell face first into muck. He dry reached, or at least he would have if his mouth wasn't submerged in filth. Remembering the situation, he set aside the thought of what he was lying in and pushed himself to his feet. He wiped his mouth with a clean part of his arm and set off at a run.

Little passed through Tails' mind. All he knew was to run, to escape. To wait was to be captured and that was not an option. He kept his eyes centred just above the bobbing torch light. Normally the darkness of the never ending corridor would have frightened him but, at this moment in time, although he still felt a stifling claustrophobia, it wasn't an urgent terror, a fear in ignorance. He was focused on placing one foot after the other, shrugging off the tricks his mind played on him, taking them as merely that.

He came to an intersection and halted for a moment, catching his breath. Tails scanned the three different passageways, they all looked alike to him. He sighed.  
"Sonic…" His ear swivelled and he spun around, having enough common sense to muffle the torch in the same movement. He could hear the faint sounds of shoes splashing in water but he could not see a anything past five feet without his flashlight illuminating the way, and he dared not do that. He waited a moment, heart thumping, until a pinprick of light popped into existence in front of him. He decided it was time to leave. He quickly chose a tunnel and sped off.


	22. Chapter 22

Xander growled when he caught up to the rest of his team. They had stopped at an intersection.  
"Sir?" Said an officer, throwing his thumb behind him.  
"Useless…" He muttered. "You and you go left, you three go straight up, Sarah, Axel, you're with me." He said quickly, signalling with his hands, then ran down the first tunnel on his right. The two officers hesitated only a moment before going after him. Sarah strode next to the focused raccoon.  
"You know he went this way, don't you?" Xander simply nodded. Sarah laughed. "Not even gonna ask… Will he be armed?" Xander kept his eyes forward.  
"Most likely."  
"Right." She drew her gun. "Man… this place gives me the creeps."

Tails stumbled. He had been running for god knows how long, and he was beginning to tire.  
"Gotta… cut back on… those chilli dogs." He stopped at the entrance to yet another tunnel on his left and doubled over, panting. "Man, this place is like a maze. I got lost ages ago. Well, at least it makes me harder to catch… And what's with there being no ladders to the surface? Ugh…" He turned into the new tunnel and kept going. 'Sonic… Where are you? Last I remember we… we… Hmm.' He slowed slightly, clawing through his mind, trying to break through the veil of black that blocked his memories. The surprising sound of gushing water permeated his thoughts. His concentration broken and curiosity aroused, he sprinted forwards. Turning a corner, Tails slowed down to a halt. In front of him stood a thick steel gate through which the vile water flowed. Tails walked up to the bars, becoming illuminated by a small, constantly flickering light source coming from the ceiling. He gripped the slimy bars and looked out.

A massive hollow space loomed before him. It was so vast that the other side was not even visible. His ears, which he personally prided himself on, picked up the sound of other tunnels churning out sewerage into the abyss, just like this one. He cringed as he felt something slide past his leg to fly out through the bars. He glanced sidelong and caught sight of a ladder; it scaled the wall about a metre away from him, leading up to what seemed to be a manhole. Tails shook the bars violently and noticed his arms weren't brown anymore. He let out a frustrated growl, annoyed that freedom could be so near yet so far away, and that his disguise was already ruined, no doubt by the filthy water he trod in. Kicking the steel prison, he sighed.

'Dead end… Looks like I'm going to have to double back and…' A disconcerting feeling suddenly overcame him and the hairs on his neck shot straight up. He felt he was being watched, studied, judged. He spun around so fast he nearly fell. Nothing. He took a single step. An ear-piercing wail assailed his senses, driving him to his knees and forcing him to cover his ears. The sound suddenly dropped in pitch substantially, becoming a low pulse. Then it was gone, as if it had been switched off in a single second. In fact, everything had been switched off, not one sound could be heard. Tails was framed in shadow, the light had disappeared. Tails got to his feet, hands dropping to his sides.

He looked back out the grate. The sound of water had disappeared. He suddenly realised that the sensation of water running past his legs had also left. He looked down and gasped. The water was still. Completely still. The sewerage that had been flung out the gate had also stopped, floating in the air. Nothing moved, except for Tails.  
'What the…' Tails yelped as something grabbed his leg. A decayed hand held firmly to his ankle, arm protruding from the frozen water. Tails screamed and kicked at the disgusting thing. The limb went flying, spraying the wall with blood. Tails backed into the bars, nearly wetting himself. Another arm burst through the water, followed soon after by a head. The flashlight flickered a few times then died, plunging the area in to an inescapable darkness.


	23. Chapter 23

The horribly disfigured creature pulled itself out of the murky depths, revealing the many horrible wounds covering his body. They still bled. Tails bent over and vomited as the thing emerged. It had one eye, sunken far into the socket. The colour in its skin had faded, becoming a dull green, and barely any fur remained. Its left leg was bent grotesquely at the knee and its hand had been sharpened, like a vicious claw. It stood there for a moment, looking around as if it had just been woken from a deep sleep and found itself in another's room. Then its gaze fell upon the fox.

It took one lumbering, awkward step. Tails recovered, then screamed once more, tears coming to his eyes. He desperately tried to back away even more, to phase through the bars. Another step. Tails spun around. He started violently shaking the first two bars and shouting, terrified. The evil thing was a few meters away, its rotten stench driving Tails to new extremes. He moved to the next two bars and the next. They wouldn't budge. It moved closer to him and threw a lazy swipe, too far away for Tails to even feel wind. His eyes were blurry, filled with tears, as he glanced over his shoulder. He had a few seconds.  
"Sonic…" He tried the next two bars. One rattled. A tiny spark of hope flared in his heart. He shook the loose bar with strength unknown to him, driven on by his most primal feelings. He kicked it once, twice, three times. It was all for naught.

He stopped his struggling; his shoulders stooped, and sighed. The sigh of one resigned to his fate, the sigh of one with nothing left to lose. He turned and faced the beast, barely two metres from him. He stood tall, determinacy etched upon his face. He gripped the torch with two hands and held it up like a bat, ready to strike. If he was going to die, he was going to die fighting.  
"All I did…"  
The monster reeled back for another swipe. "I did for you." He cried out and swung his improvised weapon, hitting the thing in its rusty old jaw.

All he received for his efforts was a stunned pause, a spray of blood, and a satisfying crack. It swiped with surprising speed. Tails closed his eyes, waiting for the pain. But none came. He slowly opened one eye. A knife protruded from the things head, smothered in brains. It swayed a moment before dropping to the floor, just in time for three people, two in police uniforms, to come into view.


	24. Chapter 24

Sarah's mouth opened in shock. She took a few shaky steps forwards, her gun and flashlight combo levelled at Tails.  
"S-Sir. How could you? An innocent person…" She knew how absurd that was as soon as it left her mouth, anyone down here couldn't be too innocent, but still…  
"Person? Don't make me laugh. Take a closer look." She inched forwards, confusion evident on her face, and looked over the dead body. She gasped.  
"What the hell…?"  
"Pathetic." Said Xander, retrieving a cigarette from his trench coat pocket. "Can't even control your own creatures." He directed this at the petrified Tails, while lighting the stick in his hands. Tails trembled, still backed against the grate. A moment of silence passed as Sarah returned to her team, even more confused. Xander took a puff. "What are you doing here? Why do you break the Treaty of Bel? Who sent you?" The police officers shared quick wondering glances at their leader. Tails remained silent. "Well…?" Xander's cool composure broke rapidly. "Disgusting thing, be gone Ark'then! I shall banish you for I am the sword of God!"

In a split second his arm was raised above his head, holding a deadly looking knife, ready to throw. He halted a moment before releasing, looking down. An arm extended from the water, grabbing his leg. A wretched head followed soon after, peering through eyeless sockets. Xander didn't flinch, simply reversing his grip on the weapon and bringing it down in a flash, impaling the things skull. It sunk, knife and all, under the water.  
"Getting your minions to fight for you? Like I said, pathe…" He was cut off by a female scream which was quickly superseded by gunshots. Xander turned and sighed.

One zombie remained slumped against the wall, brains decorating the stone. The other held Sarah's weapon by the nuzzle, taking shot after useless shot. It raised its other claw, about to maul the terrified Sarah. A glint of steel and the things hand fell off. The zombie looked at the stump of a hand, confused, then turned its head, still overpowering the girl. A sizable chunk of its face came off with a shot from the other officer. It dropped instantly.

"S-Sir… What the hell are these things?!"  
"They're…" He stopped, watching as dozens more rose from the water a few metres back down the sewer.  
"There's so many! What do we do?" Exclaimed the gore covered Sarah, backing away from the advancing line of monsters, along with the other officer, to Xander. Showing an unnatural level of calm, Xander pulled forth a butterfly knife, holding it between index finger and thumb. He threw his smoke to the floor, releasing a breath of smoke, and stepping on the butt out of habit.


	25. Chapter 25

"Aim for the heads or the hearts, anywhere else and they'll just keep coming. Don't worry, they look worse than they really are. Just... don't let them scratch you… or bite you… or drool on you…" He lifted his hand and made a clicking motion. The knife fanned out, revealing two more blades. In one swift movement he let fly the projectiles, downing two monsters. The two officers hesitated then opened fire on the line of zombies.

Tails squeezed shut his eyes and crouched down, trying to ignore the horror. If he couldn't see it, it wasn't there. A shiver ran down his spine as he heard a close moaning. He dared to unlock an eye. A zombie stood before him, as frightfully disgusting as the last. A black liquid dripped from its overflowing mouth. Tails scrunched up his eyes once more, trying to shrink into the shadows. He knew this was it; he didn't have the strength to fight, not like Sonic. He whimpered piteously as he felt the thing grip his arm, awaiting the pain, the final swipe that would end his short life, an invitation to Death's sweet embrace.

But it never came. Only when the smell of burning flesh caused his gorge to rise did he creak open his eyes. The zombie stood, cocking its head rather stupidly, staring at its smoking hand. A faint white shrouded Tails' arm. The zombie moaned a little more urgently, the howled out in pain. Its hand was burning, turning white hot. It tried to pull away but couldn't. The aura had latched on to its claw, enveloping it. The light then travelled further up its arm, slowly at first, then all of it swarming off of Tails and on to the monster. It moaned dreadfully, clutching its head.

Smoke billowed off of the thing, sickening Tails. It wailed, backing away from the fox, then burst into flames. The hideous sight and the horrible smell caused Tails to throw up again; he wasn't feeling well at all. He looked away, trying to ignore the gradually diminishing death cries. The wailing stopped and he heard a splash. Tails looked back in time to see the small force finish cutting down the undead horde.

"Now you." Tails jumped at the sound. "If you're done with this charade of power then I insist you give yourself up and come with me." Xander took a step closer to Tails, who shrank back even further, he had the insatiable need to turn in to mist and simply slip through the bars. "Come on, there's no where left to run. You can't possibly w…" Xander sighed when a high-pitched screech dashed away the rest of his sentence. He turned around… and reached for a cigarette.


	26. Chapter 26

Everyone was dead quiet as a shadowy figure crept into the area. It crawled on all fours, hind legs bent back at the knee, as if they had been put on the wrong way. Mottled grey skin stretched tightly over its thin body, that looked half-manikin, half-flesh. The thing made erratic, jerky movements and held its head constantly down. Its breath came loud and ragged then whistled on the way out. It placed one disjointed claw on the wall, testing, then started scaling the slimy brick. It reached a spot right above Xander's head then, remaining attached to the ceiling through its feet, dropped down. It's face jolted to a stop right before Xander's, if you could call it that. It had no eyes or nose, just a viciously fang-entangled mouth and two holes for ears. Xander didn't flinch. He remained calm, looking almost bored. He took the cigarette out of his mouth and blew smoke in the things face.

Nothing. It stayed hanging for a moment longer then swung back up. It twitched a little then started moving again.  
"What the hell is…?!"  
"No!" Xander yelled a second too late. It's head spun around and locked on to the officer. It screeched and with alarming speed it leapt at him and pinned him to the floor. Blood drenched the walls as sharp claws ripped into soft flesh. Sarah immediately opened fire, her gunshots barely heard over the terrible screaming of the poor officer.  
"Get it off me! Help!" With a flick of his arm, Xander implanted three knives in the things head. It only seemed to aggravate it.

With the bestial vigour of a cornered animal it batted the officer, sending him flying towards the grate. He smashed into the metal with a thump, knocking free a bar, and slid down to the ground. Tails just managed to duck out of the way of the living projectile… if he was still alive. Tails didn't know whether he was dead or just unconscious. Fearfully, Tails looked back at the monster. It stood on all fours, between him and Xander. Perfectly still. Blood dripped from its maw as it started back up the awfully loud wheezing. It turned slowly, towards Xander and Sarah, and crawled forwards. Xander backed away, pushing back the wide-eyed Sarah with his arm. He narrowed his eyes at Tails then quickly threw something at him before turning and jogging.

Tails held his breath, hoping, praying, that the splash caused by the object didn't startle the thing. It didn't. To be safe, Tails waited until the sound of its breathing faded away, then waited a minute more, frozen. When it was silent he moved to pick up the thing. It was a simple silver coin, engraved with the picture of an hourglass. He wondered at it, then shrugged and tucked it away. Suddenly, as if with a sigh of relief, the great oppression he felt in the air lifted. The water recommenced its flowing, as if nothing had happened, and the flickering of light returned, along with the light of his torch.

Tails was glad for the return of normality. He turned and shuddered upon viewing the bloody body. He mustered up the courage to move up to the slumped figure and place two fingers on his neck. No pulse. Tails shed a tear for him. He didn't deserve this. Tails waited a moment, in silent prayer, then sighed and moved towards the opening in the grate. He was about to step out and onto the rungs of the ladder but he halted, a thought coming to mind. Although not wanting to defile a dead body, he had to put himself before a corpse. He bent over and took the mans handgun from his belt and tucked it behind his back.

'For protection…' Tails quickly stepped on to the ladder, wanting to leave this awful place. He climbed a few steps then flinched when he heard a far off screech. He shook it off and continued up into the warm, welcoming light coming through the manhole.


	27. Chapter 27

The full moon caused the ground to glisten with a silver sheen. The air was chilled, below sixteen degrees. Tara walked swiftly down dimly lit streets. She was in the dark part of the city.

A loose bandage from the wraps on her fists flapped noiselessly behind her. She ran a hand through her rich brown hair, nervous.  
"Bloody hell. I'm gonna miss the registration." She picked up her pace, almost gliding across the cracked pavement. She came to a crossroads of alleyways and stopped. Glancing over her shoulder, she turned down one. At the end of the corridor, to the right, there was a depression in the cement with steps leading down to a graffiti covered door. On the door was a sign reading: 'Do not enter. Authorization required.'

Tara halted. Strange, normally she could hear the drunken cheers of filthy men from outside. She shrugged it off and opened the door. Making sure the portal was shut behind her, she moved down a cold hallway. The hairs on the nape of her neck tingled. There was no uproarious yelling, no filthy insults, no dull thuds of limbs pounding on flesh. It was quiet. Dead quiet. She wasn't that late, was she? No no, twelve-fifteen, just fifteen minutes. Where is everyone? She pushed open a steel door and found out.

Her mouth was agape. A ring of terraced chairs lined the walls, all facing into the centre where stood a dirt-floored arena surrounded by a steel gate with a single opening. But this wasn't what had her shocked; she had seen all this before. No, it was the vicious amounts of blood and gore strewn recklessly around the room that had her so beholden by fear. Blood still dripped from the ceiling. She doubted a dry patch remained. She couldn't move, although not unaccustomed to blood, in fact it was part of her profession as was death sometimes, but this was simply too much. She heard the door shut behind her, causing her to turn, fists up.  
"You're late."

She turned again and her fists dropped in surprise. A jet black hedgehog sat on the metal fence, some ten feet in the air. An evil grin spread across his face, filled to the brim with large, razor-sharp teeth. With arms folded and eyebrow raised he looked all the more the malicious villain. She briefly wondered how she hadn't noticed him when she walked in. She slowly moved back, groping the air behind her. When she hit the door she spun around and desperately tried tugging on the handle. It wouldn't budge.

The hedgehog put on a look of dismay.  
"That's how you thank me for helping you out? Look! I took out the competition for you and scored you a nifty pay rise as well!" He held a large bundle of money in one clawed hand, many weeks' winnings in Tara's shadowy profession. "No? Well then…" He threw the money over his shoulder. It burned up in its descent. "I'll simply have to teach you some manners." His grin returned.

Realising the futility of trying to open the door, she turned to face the hedgehog… thing and raised her fists up to her face. She was surprised to find him nowhere in sight. Tara sensed something behind her and, always light on her feet, pivoted and struck, her fist like a viper. There was nothing there. She swiftly surveyed the room. He was there, somewhere. A laugh echoed through the area. She kept her calm, waiting.

"Boo!" She attacked, fists pumping like pistons. But her attacks didn't seem to hit, he kept dodging. Her leg shot out, easily aiming for his head. He simply grabbed it, swung around, and threw her into the wall. Trained to take pain, she was on her feet in a flash. She was on the offensive once more, now angry, her anger lending her strength. Her attacks came twice as fast, barely missing. She feinted to the left and hammer fisted to the right. He shunted and landed a hit in her gut, winding her. She reeled back, stunned. Sonic laughed. "Is that all? I thought you were going to be fun." He pouted.

Tara growled, spat out some blood, then drew a knife from a sheathe strapped to her ankle. She closed the distance, arms bobbing threateningly. She slashed across the body, up, and then stabbed overhead. He cross-blocked, grabbed her wrist, and pulled backwards while sidestepping. She stumbled forwards, stopped, then pivoted on her right foot and slashed. It buried deep in his chest, directly nicking the heart. Tara smirked.  
"No-one can beat me." She laughed triumphantly. The hedgehog dropped to his knees, black blood seeping from the wound.

As she turned to leave, Tara heard an echoing clap that caused her to freeze.  
"My my, kudos to you Tara. You managed to hit it." Here eye swivelled to where the monstrosity sat on top of the steel cage. Shocked, she looked back at what she had defeated. She felt like vomiting.

In place of a hedgehog was a bloody assortment of disfigured body parts, stuck together to make a vaguely humanoid shape. The abomination crumbled to the floor before her. She felt tears welling up in her eyes.  
"I think a reward is in order." He swung his legs and hopped down. As he fell, a pair of wings burst from his back in a flare of purple fire. Flapping, he touched down lightly. "But I do believe that my…" He snorted. "Or should I say, your time is running short. So I must bid you… adieu" In the span of a heartbeat he had two clawed fingers placed against her forehead, pricking the skin. He smiled as blood made trails down her face. "Good day." He moved his fingers as if shooting a gun. Her brains decorated the floor.


End file.
